【Story】10th Seal (Zana)

10th Seal – Zana

Ch. 1　Candlelight in Fantasy

Part 1

Enoch had successfully brought the sanity of Behemoth back from a berserk rage. With its help, they arrived at the Ritual Remains of Oroz. Right as they entered, a harp from afar caught their attention.

Sonata: It’s…someone singing…

Enoch: I can hear it, but who is that? And the song sounds familiar…

Zana: It’s a song of life. Every life listens to it when they were born.

Delta: It’s Zana’s voice!

Zana: Enoch, child of destiny, the one who can break the rotten future. I’ve been expecting you. Come over here, I have a song to play for you.

Part 2

“Melody of the Score”

​Sonata: Zana… she is my ancestor. Her voice is so beautiful …

​Sonata: Enoch, hurry up. I need to ask her about the second half of “Whisper of Monesis”!

​Enoch: Sure, I also wonder why she would know me.

Delta: She’s gotta be around the harp. It’s at the center of the altar, where we used to hold ceremonies.​Glauox: Let’s go!

Part 3

“Hall of Prayers”

Sonata: Wheeze…what’s going on here? So many enemies here! I can’t really do anything now. You’ve gotta protect me!

Enoch: “The enemies…are they god’s reinforcement? Is Behemoth doing ok back there?”

Sonata: I can’t die before mastering the “Whisper of Monesis”!

Delta: Just head through this passage, and we’ll make it to the altar.

Ch. 2　The Flying Notes

Part 1

“Thoughts of Pureness”

Delta: Ms. Zana, we finally meet again!

Zana: It’s my pleasure to meet you. I guess you must be startled, right? Waking up and realizing that the world has completely changed. 

Zana: Worry not, my descendant and the chosen Enoch. I’ve set up a magic barrier to block those intruders temporarily.

 Enoch: How do you know my name? Zana: Monesis told me that when the world is contaminated by the Eldus.

Part 2

“All in Harmony”

Zana: Sit down. Let me show you an ancient song…

​As she performed with the harp, a vague vision was revealed in their eyes. There was an altar too, but it was completely different from the altar here. That was a cheerful place. Elves, beasts, dragons, and machinas gathered to celebrate a ceremony of some sort.

​Pompeii: Thank you for joining our ceremony. Let us stay with Monesis to make this land flourish.

Bahamut: All credits go to Pompeii. If it wasn’t for you insisting on your belief, we would have been separate from each other.

Behemoth: True. When Pompeii came to me, I almost crushed him into pieces. He was the only one who didn’t back down from my intimidation.

Zana: Then allow me to perform a song to commemorate the hero Pompeii.

Part 3

“Sparkling Evilness”

​???: How dare you, ugly creatures, trap our “mother” in here! You’re damned!

Intruders broke into the ceremony and attacked abruptly. Without expecting this, some creatures were injured; Screams of pain were echoing over the altar.

Pompeii: Stop it!

When they were about to strike again, Pompeii stood up for everyone, gathered elemental power, and conjured a firewall to protect all the present races.

Ch. 3　Abrupt End of the Music

Part 1

“Tempted By Power”

???: You are the leader?

Pompeii: We don’t need a leader. Everyone is equal.

???: Hahaha! So you’re a fool…I have no time to waste. We are Eldus, and we’ve come to take our mother back.

Pompeii: Your mother?

Eldus: The being that is hidden somewhere deep into the ground, her power resonates with us down there.

Part 2

“Emotionally-Driven Desire”

Pompeii: Underground…You mean Monesis?

Eldus: It’s not your Monesis. She is our mother! We’ve been patient, searching from place to place, and now we’ve found her!

Eldus: The power lying here resembles the source of our creation…I’m sure Mother is right here underneath.

Part 3

“The Selfishness Aroused”

​Eldus: Pick a side. Follow this hypocrite, machina, who actually controls you with his so-called “equal” ideology, or made a deal with us.

Eldus: Those who join us shall be glorified with rewards, power, status, and dominance over this land.

Behemoth: It’s nonsense! No way will we accept this absurd deal! Eldus: Each race strives to grow stronger, to become the most powerful in the world.

Ch. 4　Battle Song Begins

Part 1

“A Face Off”

On this land of intertwining trees, an elf was resting on a treetop, gazing at the starry sky. Zana came trippingly, landing on the other top.

Zana: You met the Eldus, didn’t you?

Elf of the West: I knew it. Nothing can be hidden from you. We elves are intelligent, but this fragile body has dragged us down to the most inferior species! I will not surrender to that.

Part 2

“Sorrow of the Soul”

Zana: Does being a dominator really matter to you?

Elf of the West: Of course. I’m not that naive like Pompeii, chasing his daydream like an ignorant child.

Zana: But Pompeii has the most graceful and purest pulsation I’ve ever heard. He is dedicated to achieving his belief. I trust him.

Elf of the West: Zana, since when did you become so childish to believe in this joke?

Part 3

“Choice of the Elf”

Zana: …So do you…Fascinated by the words of the Eldus.

Elf of the West: Don’t be foolish! I trust nobody, and I hate those arrogant intruders. But so what? I don’t care who it is as long as it benefits me.

Elf of the West: This land needs no other species but us, the elves. Come, Zana! Let us write our glorious history!

Elf of the West: Sing a triumphant song with your amazing voice!

Zana: I…won’t. We’re not on the same page.

Zana: I only do it for Pompeii, for his dream.

Ch. 5　Requiem for the Elves

Part 1

“Sorrowful Sigh”

Elf of the West: Zana, by the time we meet next time, we’ll be enemies.

The elf then left Zana behind, who was in tears when she raised her head.

Zana: Why do conflicts never end? Why can’t we just agree to disagree?

Zana sang a song to express her melancholy; vessels from the land and trees resonated with her rhythm, giving out iridescent lights.

Zana: “Monesis…is calling me…”

Part 2

“Longing for Peace”

Zana walked deep into Oroz to the “Pilgrimage”, where resided the most respectable creature of all beings—Monesis.

Zana: The almighty Monesis, I’ve answered your call to meet you.

 Zana: Monesis, the origin of life, please tell me. Why will there always be conflicts? Why can’t disagreements be eradicated?

 Monesis: …Rustle— Zana: Ah! So many voices in my head…

Part 3

“Score for Monesis”

​Zana: This is… our future… No… I don’t want it. It’s too much sorrow and despair…

Monesis: …Dong…dong…

Zana: …Understood. I’ll deliver your words by composing a score, to prevent the future from collapsing…

As she stopped singing, the vision also faded away.

Zana: This is our story that happened a long, long time ago. And it’s the key to our future.

Enoch: Collapse of the future …Do you mean the realm?

Zana: The backflow and disorder of elements are tearing the land apart—

Enoch: I have to stop the chaos!

Zana: For the sake of the realm, you need to wake up the natives hibernating in the deep. Delta, you got the key from Pompeii, right?

Delta: Huh? How did you know?

Zana: From Monesis. I’ll be reactivating the instruments on the altar. And you need to defeat me to prove yourself.

Part 4

“Symphony of Elves’ Dream”

Zana: Although Enoch is the child of destiny, I won’t let you proceed easily. If you can’t even take me down, going further is just a waste of your time.

Zana: Bring it on. Show me what you’ve got.

Zana: Enoch, you truly live up to Monesis’s expectation. Allow me to play a song for you. May the elves guide you through your journey.

Zana: Sonata, my descendant, you’re destined to go underground with the child of destiny, and perform the most wonderful song, Whisper of Monesis, with your life.